Cabinet shuffle: Aila moves from DLNR to DHHL

Among all the comings and goings in state Cabinet-level offices as Gov. David Ige begins his term, one of the most consequential switches is the departure of William Aila from the top job at the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Right around the Christmas break came the news that Aila would be shifting to a deputy director’s chair at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. It will be interesting to see the interplay between Aila and the continuing director, Jobie Masagatani, who has been implementing changes at the troubled department.

Is it safe to assume these changes will continue or (as one always hopes) even accelerate? We’ll all just have to stay tuned.

Money pours in worldwide to save Kauai birds

A worthy cause, a modest goal and the technology to reach supporters all over the world added up to a big win for the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project, which raised more than $20,000 — double its original goal — to help save endangered birds on Kauai. The group will use the money to buy traps to kill rats that prey on birds and eggs in the Alakai Wilderness Preserve within Kauai’s Na Pali Kona Forest Reserve.

Individual donations as little as one dollar grew to a substantial sum as contributions flowed in from places such as Bulgaria, India, Austria, the United Kingdom, Canada, the continental United States and Hawaii.

"People are willing to donate if they see their donation will lead to very concrete action," observed John Puschock of Seattle, who owns a bird-watching tour company and came up with the crowdsourcing idea.